Officials Demonstrate New 911 Technology
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Tim [email protected]
Through a federal research project called Next Generation 911, officials are hoping to take the nation's 911 centers into the the 21st century technologically.
In the past couple of decades, the ways in which people communicate and the technologies they use have increased.[[In-content Ad]]For many, cell phones have become a basic piece of personal equipment, which they use to talk, send text messages, photos or even video clips. Computers have made audio and video chatting possible, and devices like Black Berries have made it possible to communicate through the Internet from almost any location.
Some vehicles on the road today are equipped with a system to communicate detailed information to emergency officials in the event of an accident.
But most 911 dispatch centers can handle only one type of information - a telephone call.
"It's because they're running on a system designed in the 1970s," said Roger Hixson, an NG 911 project director.
NG 911 has developed a system through which emergency officials could use a network, like a private, secure Internet, to send and receive not only voice, but text, photo and video communication. The Kosciusko County 911 Center was selected along with five other centers nationwide as a proving ground for the new technology. Federal, state and local officials were on hand Thursday to see how the system works.
According to Kenneth Lowden, executive director of the Indiana Wireless Enhanced 911 Advisory Board in the State Treasurer's Office, Indiana has the most advanced 911 wireless networks in the U.S.
"We picked Kosciusko County to participate in this project because they have the most advanced 911 system in the state," Lowden said.
Indiana has the wireless network needed to integrate the NG 911 technology, and Kosciusko County has most of the equipment to utilize it. Lowden said integrating the new technology is important.
"Today, most people believe they can text 911," Lowden said. "But, 911 is not ready today for this next generation."
Kosciusko County Assistant 911 Director David Rosenberry said some of the technological upgrades to Kosciusko County's 911 center in the past few years have already made big improvements in the service they can provide. An advanced mapping system gives dispatchers instant, detailed information about the locations from which 911 calls are received. A new system allows the 911 center to access live feeds from security cameras in the local schools. In an emergency, Rosenberry said, dispatchers can provide detailed, eye-witness information to emergency officials responding to the scene. This, he said, can help police officers, firefighters and medical personnel tailor their response for the needs at the scene.
Rosenberry said the NG 911 system's ability to receive a variety of information and data from a variety of devices could help make 911 services more accessible to more people, and it can further improve emergency response.
"For example, it would enhance the ability for hearing impaired people to communicate with 911," Rosenberry said.
He said text messaging has become an important mode of communication for many people with hearing impairments and, in an emergency, they should have instant, clear access to a 911 dispatcher.
"NG 911 is not just an updated 911," Hixson said. "It's a whole new 911, a whole new way of doing 911."
Hixson said the last part of NG 911's proof of concept project will include a final report to the U.S. Department of Transportation probably by November. He said he and other project officials hope their work will begin the process of upgrading 911 systems across the country over the next 10 years.
Hixson and other project officials said their new system integrates adaptability for future advances in technology.
Hixson called to mind a scene, familiar to many parents and teachers, of a young person rapidly sending text messages to a friend.
"I don't know if we'll hire 13 year olds to be text call takers, but we're going to hire today's 13 year olds to be text call takers when they're 20," he said.
Through a federal research project called Next Generation 911, officials are hoping to take the nation's 911 centers into the the 21st century technologically.
In the past couple of decades, the ways in which people communicate and the technologies they use have increased.[[In-content Ad]]For many, cell phones have become a basic piece of personal equipment, which they use to talk, send text messages, photos or even video clips. Computers have made audio and video chatting possible, and devices like Black Berries have made it possible to communicate through the Internet from almost any location.
Some vehicles on the road today are equipped with a system to communicate detailed information to emergency officials in the event of an accident.
But most 911 dispatch centers can handle only one type of information - a telephone call.
"It's because they're running on a system designed in the 1970s," said Roger Hixson, an NG 911 project director.
NG 911 has developed a system through which emergency officials could use a network, like a private, secure Internet, to send and receive not only voice, but text, photo and video communication. The Kosciusko County 911 Center was selected along with five other centers nationwide as a proving ground for the new technology. Federal, state and local officials were on hand Thursday to see how the system works.
According to Kenneth Lowden, executive director of the Indiana Wireless Enhanced 911 Advisory Board in the State Treasurer's Office, Indiana has the most advanced 911 wireless networks in the U.S.
"We picked Kosciusko County to participate in this project because they have the most advanced 911 system in the state," Lowden said.
Indiana has the wireless network needed to integrate the NG 911 technology, and Kosciusko County has most of the equipment to utilize it. Lowden said integrating the new technology is important.
"Today, most people believe they can text 911," Lowden said. "But, 911 is not ready today for this next generation."
Kosciusko County Assistant 911 Director David Rosenberry said some of the technological upgrades to Kosciusko County's 911 center in the past few years have already made big improvements in the service they can provide. An advanced mapping system gives dispatchers instant, detailed information about the locations from which 911 calls are received. A new system allows the 911 center to access live feeds from security cameras in the local schools. In an emergency, Rosenberry said, dispatchers can provide detailed, eye-witness information to emergency officials responding to the scene. This, he said, can help police officers, firefighters and medical personnel tailor their response for the needs at the scene.
Rosenberry said the NG 911 system's ability to receive a variety of information and data from a variety of devices could help make 911 services more accessible to more people, and it can further improve emergency response.
"For example, it would enhance the ability for hearing impaired people to communicate with 911," Rosenberry said.
He said text messaging has become an important mode of communication for many people with hearing impairments and, in an emergency, they should have instant, clear access to a 911 dispatcher.
"NG 911 is not just an updated 911," Hixson said. "It's a whole new 911, a whole new way of doing 911."
Hixson said the last part of NG 911's proof of concept project will include a final report to the U.S. Department of Transportation probably by November. He said he and other project officials hope their work will begin the process of upgrading 911 systems across the country over the next 10 years.
Hixson and other project officials said their new system integrates adaptability for future advances in technology.
Hixson called to mind a scene, familiar to many parents and teachers, of a young person rapidly sending text messages to a friend.
"I don't know if we'll hire 13 year olds to be text call takers, but we're going to hire today's 13 year olds to be text call takers when they're 20," he said.
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